Rotary engine



Dec. ll, 1928.l 1,694,587 l w. ELRICK ROTARY ENGINE Filed. Nov. 8. 1926 2 Shasta-Shen l WEZri'ak f g@ Dec. 11, 1928. 1,694,587

` W. ELRICK ROTARY ENGINE 7.-. 8, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 1l, 1928.

1,694,587 arent ori-"ics VJ'LLEAM ELRCK, OF TQRONTO, NTARIO, CAEADA, ASSEGNGR TO ELRGK tGTATl'NG ENGNE CGMPANY, LIMITED, OF TORONTO, CANADA, A CRPRATEGN GF OIxTTiRlO.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Application med November s, ieee.

My invention relates to improvements in rotary engines, of the type in which astationary cylindrical. stator provided with an ammlar cylindrical concentric channel, a shaft extending through the stator centrally oi the channel, a rotor secured to the shaft, a wing piston having a substantially.circular head litting the statorchannel, and a revolving head mounted. in the stator to revolve in contact with the rotor andhaving a'chamber withwhich the piston head engages are employed, and the object of the invention is to so construct the engine that therotor and head may always be driven inrunison one with the other and in tight peripheral contact without friction and therefore at the same `time 'forming steam tight oint therebetween, and in which any lateral leakage of steam from the head is prevented, and it consists essentially oit' the arrangen'ient and construction of parts as hereinafter more particularly explained.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through lmy engine. y

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view on line 2 2 Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on line 3-3 Figure 1. n

Fig. l is a perspective detail of one of the packing rings employed in the construction oit my device. Y

5 and 6 are sectional detail views of the reversing` valve shown in the two positions. i

In the drawings like characters ot rei'erence indicate corresponding figure.

lhe stator body of my engine comprises a central member 1 and side members 2 Vand' 3. ln eac-h side of the member 1 is formed 7a half channel 1X each of which coact with a halt channel 2X and 3X formed in the men'ibers 2 and 3 to term. an annular kstator channel when the parts are iconnected togetherby means of securing bolts L1. 5 is an annular rotor chamber around which the annular channel formed by the members 1*' and X and 1X and 3X extend so as to communicate therewith. 6 and 7 are orifices formed in the wall ot' the side members 2 and 3 and located cen trally of each rotor chamber 5. 8 is a circular rotor located in each rotor chamber 5. S) a shaft to which the circular rotors 8 are secured. rlhe shaft 9 extends freely through an oriiice 1() extending transversely through parts in each.

Serial No 147,168.

the central member 1 of the stator and at its ends through the orifices G and 7. 1l and 12 are the members of a tapered bearing secured respectively to the shaft 9 and within the interior periphery ot the orilices 6 and 7. 13 are bearing rollers located between the members 11 and 12. 141 is a closing cap for cachv orice 6 and 7 providedwith a central orilicc 15 through which the ends of the shaft er:- tend. 16 is a cylindrical. boreY extending through the sections 1, 2 and 3 and extending laterally to each side of the rotor chambers 5 formed in the stator. 17 are caps secured to the members 2 and 3 to form closures -for the ends ot the orifices formedlby the`bore`16.

18 are closing caps for orifices 19 formed inH the cap 17 concentrically with the centre ot the bore 16. 20 is a rotating abutment Afitting the bore 16 and secured to a shaft 21, the projecting ends of which extend centrally into the orilices 19, such ends being mountedy with in the oriiices upon taperedbearings l'termed p by vmen'ibers corresponding to the membersll and 12 and hearing rollersr 13 previously described.

22 is a gear secured to one end of the shaft 9. 23 is a gear secured to the corresponding' end of the shaft 21 and meshingwith the gear 22. The gears 22 and 23 are equal in size and therefore the rotating abutment is driven in unisonkwith the rotors 8.

The abutment 2O is provided with cham-L bered recesses 24, and 25 formed in opposite sides of the abutment 2O and in proximity to each end thereof and in alignment with eachr of the rotor chambers 5.

26 is a wing piston secured in each rotor 8, such wing piston comprising the members 2bx and 260. one of such members being. provided witha spacing pieceQGl formed integral therwith spacing the members 2GX and y. 260 appart and providinga receiving space 'for the circular piston head 27 secured therebe-r p tween by means oli bolts 28 and 29.

It will be readily seen on referring to Figure 1`that the piston head 27 lits each oi the annular channels formed by the channelr members 1X, 2X and 3X. Asthe piston revolves within the aforesaid channels in the direction of arrow the piston 27 is in the dott-ed position shown in Figure 3 so as topermit the piston to leave the chambercd recess 24 or 25. As the piston is carried through such recess it contacts with the opposite side of the recess as the abutment 20 revolves such recess gradually assuming the full line position shown in Figure 3 to enable the piston to pass to the dotted position shown in this figure clear ot the abutment. l

3() is a steam supply pipe leading into a steam chest 31. 32 and 33 are outlet steam pipes leading from the chest 31. 34 is a shaft extending centrally through the steam chest 31. 35 is a disc provided with a central sleeve 37 fitting the shaft 341 and provided with notches 38 engaging the pins 39 extending diainetrically from the shaft 34; thereby causing the shaft and disc to revolve iii unison. 4t() is a slotted opening formed in the disc 35 Which continuously revolves and alternately registers with the open ends of the pipes 32 and 33 so as to alternately feed steam into such pipes and convey it to the yreversing valves of the engine hereinafter described Which in turn feed it to the annular channels of the stator through the ports l1 immediately after the pistons 27 have passed such ports, the abutment 2O being in the full line position shown in Figure 3 at this point.

l Will noiv describe the construction of reversing valve illustrated in Figures 5 and G.

Each valve is formed by an outer sleeve 12 provided With an inlet port 43 to Which the pipes 32 and 33 lead, a reversing valve being located at each side of the engine as clearly illustrated in Figure 1. The ports 41 hereinbefore referred to extend through the Wall dividing the interior of the sleeve 42 from the interior of each of the annular rotor channels 2 and 3. 114 is a solid cylindrical member tting Within the sleeve l2 and adapted to be moved manually longitudinally Within the sleeve. 45 and 46 are channels extending diametrically through the member la and adapted to alternately register With the ports 41 when in ali gnnieiitwith the exhau st orifices 47. t8 is a U-shaped channel, the ends of Which 49v and 5() are designed to alternately register with the ports 41 to feed steam to the engine.

It Will thus be seen by referring to Figures 5 `and 6 that one of the ports 41 is feeding steam to the engine While the other port is exhausting.

51 are packing grooves formed in the opposing faces of the members 1l and 3 and 1 and 2 in Which fits a metal packing ring 52, such ring being provided with a Wing exten sion 53fitting a correspondingly formed recess and having its edge arc-shaped and Concentric to the centre er e abutment 2O as to lit against the periphery thereof as will be clearly seen in Figures 1 and 3 and thereby abutment tofit the outer periphery thereof.

forming a steam tight joint at this point so there will be no leakage of steam laterally at the point of contact between the rotor and the rotating abutment. It will be readily understood that by cutting the bore 16 so as to form a cylindrical orifice adjacent to the rotor chamber that the metal will be cut to a feather edge and will in all probability entirely break through so the steam in operating the engine Will leak. By providing a piston ring as above described this defect is overcome by cutting a recess formed in an extension of the packing groove 52 into which a ring 53 .tits so as to cover this part of the casing and prevent any leakage of steam.

From this description it Will be seen that l have devised a rotary engine in which a rotor and abutment revolve in unison in contact one With the other and therefore `elimin ate any friction therebetween, and at the saine time forming a joint Which is steam tight at all times and by which any leakage of steam either through the joint or laterally there from is prevented,

YVhat I claim as my invention is,-

1. Ina rotary engine,the combination with the annularly chainbered stator and shaft extending therethrough, of a lrotor secured to the shaft and contained in the chamber of the stator, a revolving abutment coacting with the rotor, a packing ring interposed between each side of the iotorand the Wall of the stator chamber and having a. Wing extension extending radially therefrom opposite .the line of contact between the rotor-and abutment.

r, 2. In a rotary engine, the combination with J the annularly chambered stator and shaft ei;- tending therethrough7 of a rotor secured to the shaft and contained in the chamber .of the stator, a revolving abutment coacting with the rotor, a packing ring interposed between each side of the rotor and the Wall of the stator chamber and having a Wing extensien extending radially therefrom opposite the line of contact betiveen the rotor and abutment,5 and having the outer edge of the wi curved concentricallyr to the centre oil the 3. In a device of the class described, an annular packing ring adapted to be interposed between the Wall of the containingl chamber and the opposing Wall of the stator revolvingl therein and having a Wing extension having its outer edge arc-shaped to lit the periblieify of a revolving abutment having j ieripheral contact with the rotor.

VVILLAM ELRCY. 

